Second year BA (Hons) Visual Communication students at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) have been delivering pitches to local design and creative agency CHS.
The Christchurch-based agency set an ambitious brief around city-dwelling Londoners looking to do their bit for sustainability by branching out into ‘self-grown greens’. The client brief asked AUB students to consider brand values, personality, and tone of voice.
BA (Hons) Visual Communication students focused their marketing on Londoners with busy lifestyles, often living in small spaces. Groups considered communications strategy, including barriers to potential, measurable sustainable goals, and competitors. The teams were also tasked with creating initial launch communications, including social media posts, videos, and advertising.
In assessing the student work, Senior Creatives Adrianna Parsons and Jim Harvey were joined by Planning Director Amy Ratcliffe and Richard Hurst, AUB’s Senior Lecturer in BA (Hons) Visual Communication. Richard said: “It’s always a brilliant experience for students to engage with creative ‘live briefs’ from real agencies like CHS.
“We’ve worked closely with CHS for several years now, and students take a huge amount away from sessions where industry professionals can interrogate their work and explore the potential of ideas developed through studies here at AUB.”
Judges praised students’ use of inventive colour palettes, as well as their considerations for how photography and illustration could be used to better demonstrate product and vision. Teams also explored sustainability as a movement, using storytelling and narrative as well as visual graphic devices to enhance elements of brand like font, logo and ethos.
Amy Ratcliffe, Planning Director at CHS, said: “We’ve always really enjoyed seeing how Visual Communication students at AUB work to bring to life briefs like this. All of the groups brought some incredibly inventive and exciting ideas to bear on their brands; from the use of line and rounded shape to imply friendliness and continuity, to the use of creative narrative hooks like ‘the butterfly effect’ to explore how individuals can come together to make positive change.”
She added: “We were so truly impressed with the work and energy presented. It blew us away and we really enjoyed it.”
Amy explained to students that three of the AUB groups would receive a CHS Golden Ticket. Described as a ‘no-strings-attached’ interview opportunity for winners, the Golden Ticket is part of the agency’s continued effort to recognise student and graduate talent in the local area.
Golden Ticket group winners Yield, Cropped and Cocoon were celebrated for their brand mission details, strapline, visual identity and pitching narrative skill.
CHS judges highly praised fellow group winners Thrive, who built a strong product understanding, identity, and brand, with the team being invited to undertake work experience over Summer at CHS HQ in Christchurch.
